Blood Ties, Season 2, Episode 5: The Devil You Know

After the death on his door step last week, Henry is doing a role call of all the vampires he can think of in the city – to see if he really does have Christina on his doorstep. And Vicki arrives, of course, irritated that he’s trying to freeze her out. She’s irritated he went to Celluci and not her, angry that he’s pushing her out and demands he acknowledge it’s Christina moving in on his territory – the vampire who made him. Henry is far from responsive.

And there’s another body, 2 in fact – which Celluci blames on Henry. He’s convinced it’s Christina and demands Henry sorts it out.  Henry, though is both angry that Vicki told Celluci and convinced it’s not Christina because the death is too public, too blatant to be a vampire, certainly one of Christina’s age. 600 year old vampires don’t get that way by being so open. He leaves, annoyed that  Celluci is so fixed on Christina they’ve dismissed other options.

Henry takes a brooch from the crime scene and goes hunting – smelling another vampire he shouts dramatically at it and has a Christina flashback

At the same time, Vicki and Celluci are eating Chinese, discussing vampire territorialism and who Christina is (yes, it’s a well done info dump) – and realising that Henry took the brooch. Now they have to question whether they can trust him.

And to add fuel to that fire, Henry returns to his home to find Christina in his bed. Vampire hormones go, lots of snarling follows and recriminations about the past (Henry says he “loved” her past tense and they mention a time she nearly killed him for encroaching in her territory) and finally we reach the dead models – which Christina says were killed by Alexander, another vampire. A vampire who has been hunting Christina and she brought him to Toronto to involve Henry.

Henry is, unsurprisingly, not best pleased but insists Christina speak to Celluci about the model murders to at least take some of the heat of Henry. His territory, his rules. She leaves when it’s over and he grants her territory she may hunt in.

Henry calls Vicki to explain everything – including his instincts and trust for Christina, the instinct to hunt, fight and love – but the conversation is interrupted by Christina arriving at Vicki’s. She’s arrived to be all pally and friendly so they can be strong women together. Hah, no, course not. She talks about Vicki’s relationship with Henry and how Vicki can’t possibly understand him blah blah, strong women jealous over same men, blah, Vicki cannot possibly like another woman who isn’t subservient, blah, blah.  

Get some pictures of Alexander off Coreen (who lampshade’s Vicki’s jealousy – this isn’t a show for subtlty) Time to go to the morgue and fill in Celluci. Mohadevan the awesome gives them the usual vampire schtick – drained of blood etc etc, but the marks on the bodies show hesitation – incompetence, inexperience which you certainly wouldn’t expect from Christina. We also run into Dave! Remember Dave? I almost didn’t – he was Celluci’s token Black sidekick for odd flashes of season 1.

Review: Blood Bank by Tanya Huff, Book 6 of the Vicki Nelson Series

This review is difficult for me. Blood Bank is a collection of short stories by Tanya Huff that involve the characters and world of the Victory Nelson series. The problem I have in reviewing it is I, frankly, don't like short stories. As soon as I realised what it was, I admit I was disappointed. I like epic series with huge meta-plot and endlessly developing themes and stories and plotting. Little vignettes of people's lives just generally don't do it for me. So, I'm going to try and work past my natural disinclination to do this book justice


I would say these are a series of delightful little stories that just add a lot of little bits of flavour into the world. They each add depth, they each add a new angle and they all hint at the breadth of the world as well as giving little bits of insight into things like Henry's past and Vicki's relationship with Mike.

But, and I admit this could all be personal taste, it all felt a little empty. It added a little flesh to the bones but not much grew – there was no development, no advancing of the plot or story, no growth. It was interesting, it was a series of amusing insights and curious stories. But after 5 books of the plot advancing and going forwards it felt a little like someone had pushed the pause button and we were having an intermission. Even if the intermission is interesting – seeing how Vicki is settling in with her new circumstances, seeing more flashes from Henry's past – it's still an intermission.

It did expand the world. There is a lot of weird and wonderful out there – though the big bugs and the Christmas story were... perhaps a little more out there and twee than amused me. But the world did grow and it was very imaginative creative and it was original in a genre where very little is. And it was a good story – it was interesting, it was fun, it amused me and I enjoyed reading it. It was never a difficult read.

There are a few offish elements. We have a brief visit of a Romani fortune teller. As far as such portrayals go, it's not awful – but one of these days I'd love to read a book with a Romani in it who doesn't have a bloody clue what's going to happen tomorrow – or whether you're going to meet a stranger (tall, dark or otherwise). It's a bit done. I will say, at least, that Tanya Huff has done some research and it's not all Madame Ludmilla staring into her crystal ball while wearing lots of shawls.

There was an alleged/possible First Nations beastie in a lake, but it would have been nice to have a First Nations person involved.

We see a few more of Henry's past romantic adventures – his deep passionate love with women past, and his casual snacking on men. His paternalistic contempt for Tony was lesser in this book – largely because Tony's presence was less. In some ways it avoided some of the issues I have with previous books simply by omission.

It was still heavily erased when it comes to POC for a book set in such a diverse city as Toronto, where much of the story takes place


On the whole it's a good book, but perhaps lacking in big meaty substance. And part of that, I admit, is my dislike of short stories. But I wanted a steak dinner, I got a sandwich. It's a nice sandwich, it's tasty, it's well made and I like it – but still the previous books were steak, I picked this up expecting steak – I want my steak *pout*

Review: Tanya Huff's Victory Nelson Series

I only really started writing reviews relatively recently, certainly on books rather than on various issues that arise throughout a series. This has lead to a few regrets because there are a few books I would have liked to review in more depth when I read them and they were fresh in my mind – probably greatest of which are Tanya Huff's Victory Nelson series.

I have so far read 5 of the 6 books (the 6th is on my ever-growing reading list) and I wish I had written a review on each of them, because they are some of my favourite books. Not on par with Kevin Hearne or Kim Harrison (both of whom stand pretty far up the pinnacle) but certainly just beneath them. Since it's been a little while since I've read them and because I don't really have time for a re-read, I'm going to have to do a review of the series up to book 6. Hopefully my fellow bloggers will read my review and do their own reading and maybe add more individual book details  (*ahem* hint hint)


Victoria “Victory” Nelson was a police detective – and an extremely good one. Her nickname wasn't just a play on her name, it was an acknowledgement of her extreme skill. She and her partner, Mike Celucci, had a competitive, almost antagonistic but deeply connected relationship as they solved case after case. Then Vicky developed a degenerative eye condition. Her peripheral vision is shrinking and her night vision has reduced to almost nothing – and it will get worse and worse until she is blind. Facing this, Vicky quits her job because she will not accept a lowering of her performance or record and becomes a private investigator. Mike stays on as her contact, her friend, her sex partner – and someone she has marvellous blazing rows with.

As a private detective she stumbles upon the supernatural world – in particular she runs across Henry Fitzroy, bastard son of Henry VIII, romance novel writer – and vampire. The two start investigating increasing supernatural occurrences that threaten Toronto, her with her vast experience and skills as a detective with his age, experience and knowledge of the supernatural world. Over the books they investigate demons, sorcerers, mummies, werewolves, werewolf hunters and even mad wannabe Doctor Frankensteins

Through this, Vicki develops her in depth relationship with both Mike and Henry – with Mike himself becoming more and more involved in the supernatural world – as well as their interactions with the ex-street kid Tony.